Sam Valenti IV, 28

CEO, Ghostly International L.L.C., Ann Arbor

Why he lives in metro Detroit: “There is an authenticity and a respect for talent that in other major cities is often placed second to hype.”

Claim to Fame: Founded and developed Ghostly International into an internationally recognized electronic music label.

Next Step: About to launch Gho, a new business that will provide artist development services to musicians and bands outside of the music that Ghostly International specializes in.

When Sam Valenti started Ghostly International in 1999, he was still in college at the University of Michigan and wasn’t sure Ghostly would become a successful business.

But then, in June 2002, Rolling Stone featured a compilation of techno music called Disco Nouveau created by Ghostly and gave it four out of five stars.

“Up to that point, it was sort of a passion project. I had big plans for (Ghostly International), but at the same time it was built more like an art project, and it became a business over time,” Valenti said.

Valenti’s father, Sam Valenti III, is viewed by many as the godfather of venture capital in Michigan and is a board member on some of the state’s largest companies. Valenti said his father provided some money to help Ghostly get started. “People think he is my business adviser, but even though he was an investor early on, he is not looking to guide my business,” Valenti said.

Ghostly’s music is a blend of styles. While Ghostly International’s music draws from electronic roots from Europe and Detroit, the company isn’t afraid to include elements of pop and alternative rock in its works.

Valenti said flexibility was part of the mission from the beginning, and compared Ghostly International to an art gallery. “There is a consistent set of principles and vision, but the artists inside it change,” Valenti said. Ghostly International has 15 artists on its label and many artists who contribute periodically.

Some of Ghostly International’s artists are Matthew Dear, Tadd Mullinix, Lusine and Dykehouse. Ghostly International provides artist development services such as coordinating tours and press coverage, developing marketing materials, and acquiring licensing and publishing deals.

In April, Valenti plans to launch Gho, a new company that will offer artist support services to musicians and bands that wouldn’t fit under the Ghostly banner.

“That is so smart on so many levels,” said Sarah Gavigan, CEO of Ten Music, in Venice, Calif. Gavigan represents about 50 artists and music labels and works to place their music in television ads. “For me, they are like a little microcosm of talent. I know I can go to them and get music and sound quickly.”

Valenti also is working on a compilation of music for “Adult Swim” on the Cartoon Network.

Ghostly sells its music on vinyl, as DVDs and as digital downloads from its Web site and from I-Tunes. In 2007, Ghostly International’s sales were close to $1 million, up 30 percent from 2006 and up from about $150,000 in 2002.